Food, family and memories are as intertwined in the South as if woven on the same thread. At any function we attend, from a party to a wedding to a funeral, we are as likely to talk as much about the food that was there, as we are about why we are gathered. ~Mary Foreman

I'm your cook, not your doctor. ~PAULA DEEN

I found out what the secret to life is: friends. Best friends. ~Ninny Threadgoode

Wednesday, June 6, 2012

Thin cut pork chops, dredged in a well seasoned blend of onion enhanced flour and cornmeal and pan fried in a cast iron skillet. Pictured here with succotash and fresh sliced Creole tomatoes.

Pan Fried Pork Chops

I have mentioned before how much I enjoy watching my husband eat a pork chop. He will gnaw every slap inch of that chop into submission! Don't you just love when somebody chows down on your food like that? A home cooked meal is an expression of love from the person who prepared it for you, and the best compliment is when somebody expresses how much they are enjoying that meal. To me, there is no better applause.

These chops are similar to my deep fried version, with a slightly more seasoned dredge and instead of being submerged for deep frying, they are pan fried in a lesser amount of oil. I prefer bone-in chops because just like chicken, I find the flavor so much better over boneless meat, no matter the cooking method, but especially for frying. Boneless chops will work just as well too of course. You also don't want an overly thick chop for frying, so stick with a thinner cut that is under 1/2 inch, and save those nice thick cuts for the grill or for stuffing. This is also a perfect recipe for breaking out your larger cast iron skillet.

Pork chops sizzling in a hot cast iron skillet.

I served these chops with a basic succotash and sliced Creole tomatoes that are about as good as a tomato can be in my little ole opinion. Most Creoles are large, weighing in at somewhere between 12 and 14 ounces a piece and are deep, deep red, meaty and juicy, and loaded with summer flavor. While it once did refer to a single cultivar, today, the name Creole refers more to the area in which it is grown and less to any specific variety. Here in the Deep South, we wait in excited anticipation for that first harvest every year.

To earn the name Creole, they must be grown in the river parishes of south Louisiana - like the Vidalia onion, it's all about the soil. People drive from Florida and Alabama to Mississippi to snatch up these Creoles when they are harvested and come to market. Mine are from the Liuzza Farm in Tickfaw, Louisiana - a U-Pick farm that is a hop, skip and a jump from me. As always, tomatoes, like all produce, are best when they are locally grown, whether from your own backyard, or from a farm near your area, so always buy what is local to you.

These chops have a touch of cornmeal in a well seasoned flour dredge, which includes a nice accent of onion flavor that I think you'll enjoy. As always, seasoning amounts given here are a suggestion, so adjust them up or down to suit your own taste. Serve as is, or dress them up with a Honey Pecan Glaze or Honey Mustard Meat Sauce. Here's how to make them.

Place a rack over a pan; set aside. Rinse pork chops and let drain in a colander. Heat oil over medium high heat in a large cast iron skillet. Meanwhile, whisk together all of the remaining ingredients. Oil is ready when it shimmers. Dredge pork chops in the flour mixture, shake off excess and carefully slide pork chops in the skillet, cooking in batches, 2 to 3 at a time, depending on size. Don't overcrowd the skillet. Fry until browned, about 3 to 5 minutes per side, or until cooked through, depending on the thickness of the chops. Don't overcook. Transfer to the rack to drain; serve immediately.

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26 comments:

For the first 1/3 of my life, pork chops were either pan fried or grilled and back in those days, my mom fried them so long the fat on the edge was a little crispy - thank goodness for cleaner pork. These look to dye for and I gnaw them just like your husband.

And I would take great pleasure in that Larry! Yeah, I'm guessing that part of the reason they trim more fat away is because of consumer demand for leaner meats. It did take away that curling effect but I kinda like that crunchy edge myself! You know, Mama didn't grill pork chops, in fact, I don't recall her even using a grill until I was much older. Guess she never had one before then??

I love me some pork chops Mary. Pork chops are one of my easy go to meats to fix, fried or grilled. The bone-in chops are best, I agree, plus you get to gnaw every little crisp piece off the bone! I haven't tried them with corn meal. My mother always dipped them in crushed saltines, and that's the way I fry them too. But I'll try your way next time.

OMG!!!! I love these! Had thin cut pork chops and decided to try this with the sour cream biscuits. Was going to go with the succotash too but had fresh brussel sprouts so sauteed them in the oven with onions and a bit of garlic! Yummmmmm

I made your recipe tonight for dinner and the chops were WONDERFUL!! The pork chops I purchased were larger than I had expected, so I pan fried them and then finished them in the oven. The flavor was great and they were very moist. Thanks for a nice Monday night dinner, Mary.

You're so welcome Carrie & thank you for stopping back by to let me know that you enjoyed them!! I ike to buy the bigger packs of assorted chops and some of those chops are huge aren't they? And when they pack them, they put the big ones on the bottom and pretty perfect ones on top. Annoying! But... they all still taste good. :)

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